


Hellraiser: Preview Eight

by Brandonatron0711



Series: Hellraiser [8]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-23 02:48:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/921096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brandonatron0711/pseuds/Brandonatron0711
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Geoff explains the events of the previous chapter to Ryan and places him under an official house arrest for the safety of his fellows. Ryan and his inner demon have another debate and the demon has a plan for more destruction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hellraiser: Preview Eight

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Massive shout-out to Tumblr users cockchomps and 1lisi1, who have both drawn me fan-art pieces for this series. You guys are fantastic, it means so much to me that you took the time to make stuff based on my series.

Ryan awoke to find his arms bound behind his back with chains. _What the hell?_ he thought. He shook his arms fiercely, trying to loosen the chains, but they held firm, jangling against his wrists. He gave up the struggle and leant against the wall. His face hurt like hell. His snout was throbbing painfully and he still felt dazed. He didn’t remember what had happened to leave him unconscious and chained up with a colossal bruise on his face, but he probably deserved it somehow.  
 _Good day, wretch,_ the voice in his skull whispered cruelly. _Sleep well?_  
“Fuck off,”Ryan said, “you don’t belong here.”  
It was only after he saw Geoff, who had been leaning in the doorway, turn and stare at him that he realised he had said that aloud.  
“Okay dude,” Geoff said bluntly. “I know that you’re probably a bit pissed about being tied up with a pounding headache, but that’s kinda unnecessary.”  
“No, Geoff, I didn’t mean to say that aloud,” Ryan tried to explain.  
Geoff cocked his eyebrow, unsatisfied with the meagre clarification, and Ryan scrambled to continue.  
“There’s this voice in my head,” he said quietly. “After that weird shit at the Thunderdome event, when we went home, I had another nightmare, the same one as my first big one. Except… except I think this one really happened. I don’t know what was going on but this one somehow felt even more real than the original dream, and now I have the voice from my dream in my head. It won’t leave me alone. I’m scared, Geoff. I’m terrified.”  
Geoff’s features softened, but he maintained a very formal and serious demeanor. “Do you remember what happened last night?” he inquired.  
Ryan shook his head, worried, and Geoff continued. “Michael got really badly hurt. He doesn’t remember what caused his actual injury, but he did remember what led up to it. He told me you started having a fit in your bed, then you scrambled up and pressed your back against the wall like there was something in the room. You started screaming nonsense about death and fire. He said you wouldn’t wake up. You were going mental but your eyes wouldn’t open. The last thing he remembered was you going stiff and your eyes flashing open. Then he said there was a big blank spot, and next thing he knew he was lying against your bed, too weak to move with blood spilling from his head.”  
Ryan’s eyes widened with shock. “Did… did I…” he stammered.  
Geoff nodded darkly and Ryan buried his face in his hands.  
“Oh my God, no… Michael… is he okay?”  
“He survived. You’re lucky it wasn’t Ray or Gavin that was there, because they’re not as resilient as him. He hasn’t been able to leave his bed all day, too weak to move properly. He’s pale as hell and still cold. Gavin’s been looking after him. Speaking of which, you might want to make sure you stay out of arms reach from him, he’s fuming that you hurt Michael.”  
Ryan sighed. “I’m so sorry, Geoff.”  
Geoff shook his head. “Ryan, I know it wasn’t you in there. You’d never do that by your own volition. And I believe you about the voice. Something’s really wrong here. I arrived after I heard you screaming for help, and found you kneeling over Michael with your hands over his forehead. I knew that there was no way anything else could’ve gotten into your house, it was just you and him in there. So I picked you up and slammed you to the wall. Started questioning you about it. You were stammering and panicking to start with, but that’s when the creepy shit started. Your eyes rolled back, you started talking in a weird voice. And the words that came out of your mouth weren’t something you’d say. I had to shut you up and stop you from hurting anyone, so I decided I needed to knock your lights out. Sorry for the broken nose, by the way.”  
Ryan sputtered and tried to look at his nose. Sure enough, it looked wonky. He glared at Geoff, who shrugged.  
“It’s not safe for you guys to be around me now, Geoff. You know that, right? You’re gonna have to leave me unguarded, I’ll deal with the dreams myself. Better than letting anyone else get hurt.”  
Geoff sighed with exasperation. “I hate to say it, buddy, but you’re right. I can’t risk letting anyone get hurt if you lose your shit again. I don’t want to leave you to fight these nightmares on your own, I really don’t, but we both know that it’s the only option right now.”  
Ryan leant his head back against the wall and Geoff, feeling sympathetic, walked over and squatted beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  
“Ryan,” he said, “you’re one of my best friends. I hope you know that. If there was anything I could do to help you that didn’t threaten the others, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything that could help you without putting someone’s life in danger, and you’ve gotta understand why I can’t condone that. You’ll get through this, buddy. You’re strong, and you’re the smartest motherfucker I know. If anyone has the willpower to fight through a struggle like this, it’s you.”  
Ryan’s eyes began to well up with tears and he looked up at Geoff, whose face emitted a warm, caring and fatherly aura. He laid his head against Geoff’s hand, and Geoff reached around with his other arm and held Ryan in a reassuring embrace.  
“I’m scared, Geoff,” Ryan sobbed.  
“I know, Ryan. But you shouldn’t feel weak for that. If I were you, I’d be terrified too. Just remember, even though fear’s a horrible thing, it’s what can motivate you to fight what makes you afraid. Facing your fear is the only way to get rid of it, and though that might seem damn near impossible, I believe that you can do it.”  
Geoff patted Ryan on the back one last time.  
“Okay, I’m gonna let you out of the chains now, but you’re pretty much under house arrest now. You can’t leave, I’ll send Jack over to bring you food and stuff but otherwise you’re stuck in here.”  
Ryan nodded. “Fair enough,” he said.  
Geoff loosened the chains, and Ryan stretched, his arms stiff and aching from a very uncomfortable night. He moved over to Edgar, who had been dozing beside his bed during the entire conversation, sitting down beside him and stroking his head, Edgar grunting contently. Geoff walked over to the door, glancing back at Ryan and giving him an awkward smile before leaving.  
“Why’d all of this shit have to happen, Edgar?” Ryan sighed.  
Edgar glanced up at him slowly and nuzzled his cheek, trying to comfort him.  
“Ah well, at least I’ve got you to look after me, right buddy?”  
Edgar mooed supportively and Ryan laughed.

 _How touching,_ the voice mockingly growled in Ryan’s head. _The beautiful story of a pitiful boy and his bovine companion. It brings a tear to my immortal eye._  
Ryan hissed like a cat. _Why the hell won’t you leave me alone?_ he growled viciously. Y _ou’ve ruined so much for me. You nearly got Michael killed.  
Disappointing, isn’t it? _ the voice scowled. _I didn’t expect him to be so resilient, I expected his skull to cave in.  
_ Ryan roared with anger. _You’re disgusting. You’re cruel and malicious and foul.  
_ The voice laughed in his head. _I assume you were aiming to insult me? Oh, how terrible. I’ve never been so offended in my eternal life. In all honesty, what did you expect? Did you prepare yourself for me to be a benevolent and kind demon? Does such a thing even exist in your culture? Because I can guarantee that you’re wrong if you think it does. I have barely even begun to express my wrath. And you find my evil ‘disgusting’? I find that laughable.  
_ Ryan glowered, furious. _I find it funny that an all-powerful monster of creation like yourself wasn’t able to stop my human body from being knocked out by a dude wearing an iron glove,_ Ryan said bluntly.  
The demon growled. _It was only because of your fragile human body, worm. I returned your free will to you as your friend struck, had I not done so, he would’ve been more injured than you. I saw the opportunity to take the time to plan while you were unconscious without your constant whining.  
_ Ryan rolled his eyes and the voice continued to rant. _As it happens, I have a task for you. Obviously, I can’t trust you to carry it out on your own, you’ve proven to be very unreliable when you have control over yourself. I’ll be taking things from here, my vessel. I’d appreciate it if you sat quietly while I go about my business.  
_ Ryan prepared to protest but felt his limbs seize up briefly. His momentary paralysis ceased, but he again found himself unable to control his body. The sensation of his body moving against his will was one he would never get used to. His body stood up and walked over to the wall beside the door, taking his iron shovel into its grip.  
 _Time to go to work,_ the voice sneered.


End file.
